If you read the news, you’ll more than likely have read about the rise in thefts of keyless cars. CCTV footage from a home in Essex showed a Mercedes-Benz being stolen from a driveway in just 23 seconds.

How does it happen?

Criminals are stealing cars all over the country using discreet handheld devices which are radio transmitters. One of the radio transmitters is positioned by the car, while the other one is held up to the front door to try and intercept the nearby signal. This tricks the car into thinking the key is present.

Incidents of this kind are growing in the UK rising by 9,000 to 43,308 in 2017 from 2016, according to figures reporting stolen vehicles to the DVLA. However, Surveys done by the Office for National Statistics suggest the number is actually nearly 90,000!

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said of the relay devices: “They can only be used for one thing — breaking into a car which you don’t own.”

So how can you prevent it?

We posted this solution on our Facebook page a few weeks ago – a signal blocking pouch that stops your key transmitting its code, preventing crooks from being able to detect and amplify the signal. These are available for under £10 online, but be sure to test it works once you get it.

It’s advisable to fit your vehicle with a tracking device, so if the worst does happen, you’re one step ahead. It’s said that cars with tracking devices have a 96% recovery rate.

Go old school! Fit your car with a steering wheel lock or a wheel clamp! A criminal will hopefully see this as too much hassle and leave your car.

There are one or two tricks doing the rounds online such as wrapping your keys in tin foil or inside a can. However, these aren’t guaranteed to work.

Have you suffered from keyless car theft? Or have you got any tips to prevent it happening? Let us know over on our Facebook page!